Beefless Stew - Meatless Monday (on Wednesday!)

The theme this month was Beef Stew, but I just wanted to be certain that if you are avoiding meat you could still enjoy a beef-like stew, so here is a recipe for that.  You can certainly add other vegetables to this recipe, but that would take it away from the traditional Beef Stew we were going with here.

BEEFLESS STEW makes about 10 cups

1½ large yellow or white onions, chopped into ¾-inch pieces (about 3 cups)

3 medium carrots, sliced lengthwise and cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 2¼ cups)

3 ribs celery, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

2 medium portabella mushrooms, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

1½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 6 medium cloves)

5 cups water

2 pounds white potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks (about 6 cups)

⅓ cup tomato paste (half of a 6-ounce can)

1 tablespoon BYP Italian Herb Seasoning Blend

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)

1½ cups cooked peas (if frozen, rinse under warm water)

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of water in a soup pot over medium-high heat. When the water starts to sputter, add the onions, carrots, and celery, and and cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes, adding water as needed. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, and continue to cook while stirring for 5 minutes more, adding water as needed. Add the 5 cups of water, potatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and paprika, and bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the rosemary. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the carrots and potatoes are very tender. Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes more. Place 2 cups of the stew (broth and vegetables) into a blender, and blend just briefly. Stir the mixture back into the pot to thicken the stew. Sprinkle top with parsley as you serve.

To find any recipe featured this month - use the search box and type: StewFeb
To find any theme recipe from this year type: recipe2018

For 2018 the monthly recipe themes will be:
   January - Chicken Soup (ChickJan)
   February - Beef Stew (StewFeb)
   March - Jambalaya (JambMar)
   April - Ham & Shrimp Dishes
   May - Bread recipes
   June - Garden Delights
   July - Grilling
   August - Salsa, Corn and Jelly
   September - Squash Dishes
   October - Pumpkin Recipes
   November - Chili
   December - Herbal Cocktails